2005 Complete WJF Competition Rules

All competitors MUST have the proper clearances for their music and be able to license their music to the WJF prior to the competition. The two required forms are available below for download.

Competitors must wear shoes and socks and dress in athletic attire. Sequins, vests, and dress clothes are not allowed. All competitors must keep their feet on the ground. (No balancing of the human body atop other objects)

Competitors may execute ANY move they want, either now known or original. Judges will evaluate the difficulty of all moves as they see them based upon their knowledge of juggling difficulty. Foot and body movement is allowed if necessary for the execution of the trick, but no more. If a move is executed with obvious unintentional foot and body movement, the b-jury will take deductions.

WJF Overall Champion
The competitor who has the highest total score from all competitions including balls, rings, clubs, 360s, moves, and endurance will win the title of WJF Overall Champion.
Prize money for individual events and for the title of WJF Overall Champion will be posted here soon.

Beginner (16 years old and younger, male or female), Intermediate (All Ages, male or female), Men’s Advanced (Males, all ages), and Women’s Advanced (Females, all ages) for balls, rings and clubs

Beginner competitions start at 3 balls, 3 rings and 3 clubs
Intermediate competitions start at 4 balls, 4 rings and 3 clubs
Advanced competitions start at 5 balls, 5 rings and 3 clubs

Routine Time: 3 minutes max
(There is no minimum requirement for time)

Competitors may do as many moves as they can fit in the allotted time. Each move will be evaluated and scored by each individual judge in real time. Point values for moves will be determined by the number of objects being juggled multiplied by the difficulty factor which will be determined by each individual judge.

How to get high scores

The A-Jury will be scoring the following elements:

360s and 180s
360s and 180 must re-enter the basic pattern or connect to another pattern for a full qualifying run of the number of objects being juggled. A 360 or 180 to a collect or to less than twice the number of throws as objects being used, receives no points.

Any throwing or catching variation including body throws, back-crosses, shoulder throws, overhead throws, and under the leg throws
Throws that travel between the legs, behind the back, over the shoulder, over the head, under the legs, or the reverse versions of any of these throws, must be executed for the following number of minimum throws, based upon how many objects are being used:

3 objects: 4 times through the pattern (either as the same move, or in combination with other moves for a total of 4 times through the pattern)

4 objects: 3 times through the pattern (either as the same move, or in combination with other moves for a total of 3 times through the pattern)

5 objects and above: 1 time through the pattern

Once 5 objects is reached, you can execute the move for 5 throws (using both hands) to a gather and not continue to juggle, for the bare minimum points for that move. However, you will score higher by either continuing the pattern for 2,3, or 4 times through the pattern, by re-entering the basic pattern or connecting to another pattern.

One handed moves must always re-enter the pattern.
(one handed moves are defined as one hand keeping the basic pattern, and the other hand making a body throw, back-cross, shoulder throw, under the leg throws, etc.)

Site Swaps
Site Swaps must be executed for a certain amount of repetitions, based upon the sum of the differences between the nearby standing numbers in the site swap notation.
For example:

The sum of a 97531 would be calculated by taking the difference between the nearby standing numbers and then adding those numbers together:
9-7=2
7-5=2
5-3=2
3-1=2
and you add 2+2+2+2 to get 8

Site Swaps with a sum of 3 or less must be repeated 6 times

Site Swaps with a sum of 4 must be repeated 4 times

Site Swaps with a sum of 5 must be repeated 2 times

Site Swaps with a sum of 6 or more must be done once

Any 6 and 7 club site swaps only need be executed once

(For five objects and below, all site swaps must re-enter the basic pattern or connect to another pattern for a qualifying run. For seven or more objects, the site swap only has to be executed for the minimum number of repetitions required. Collecting to a stop afterwards is acceptable. Exceptions will be made for site swaps done for only one repetition if the judges determine that the site swap was difficult enough to be a one-repetition move)

Connections
Connections are defined as one move being executed immediately following another move with no throws of a basic pattern in between. After the final move of a connection is executed, a qualifying run of the pattern is required for the last move to receive credit. Connection bonus points are awarded based upon the difficulty of the moves that are connected.

Balancing or head bouncing while Juggling
To receive points by combining balancing or head bouncing with juggling, the balanced object must have started off as part of the juggling pattern, and then placed to a balance or thrown to a bounce while the remaining objects continue to be juggled for a minimum qualifying run. It must be the same object that is designated by the prop category within which it is used. (Head bouncing a ball can only be done in the ball competition, balancing a club can only be done in the club competition, balancing a ring can only be done in the ring competition)
Balancing and head bouncing moves can only be done two times per routine, and only if done with two separate juggling moves.

Originality
If a move is considered by the judges to be original, it may receive additional points if it is also difficult and in keeping with the aesthetics of sport juggling. It has to be original, difficult, and look good too. These are the parameters that the judges will be scoring by and it will be up to them to determine what is original, difficult and aesthetically pleasing.

Repetition
Each move can be done once by itself, and then once in connection with another move. Moves repeated more than 2 times will receive no points.

The B-Jury will deduct points as follows:
1. Unintentional and/or unnecessary movement of the feet
2. Drops
3. Bad form
4. Collisions
5. Unintentional catching of clubs on the wrong end
6. Falling down

TEAMS COMPETITION
Teams Club Passing: Maximum of 2 people per team. Minimum of 6 clubs.
Routine Time: 4 minutes max
(There is no minimum requirement for time)

Team competitors may do as many moves as they can fit in the allotted time. Each move will be evaluated and scored by each individual judge in real time. At the end of each routine, all the move scores will be added up and averaged between the judges individual scores.

How to get high scores:

The A-Jury will be scoring the following elements:

360s and 180s
360s and 180s must re-enter the basic pattern or connect to another pattern for a full qualifying run of the number of objects being juggled. A 360 or 180 to a collect or to less than twice the number of throws as objects being used, receives no points.

Any throwing or catching variation including body throws, back-crosses, shoulder throws, overhead throws, and under the leg throws
Throws that travel between the legs, behind the back, over the shoulder, over the head, under the legs, or the reverse versions of any of these throws, must be executed for the following number of minimum throws, based upon how many objects are being used:

6 and 7 Clubs:
Two count pattern: 6 throws per person (can be done by one or both competitors)
One count pattern: 12 throws per person (can be done by one or both competitors)

8 Clubs:
Two count pattern: 4 throws per person (can be done by one or both competitors)
One count pattern: 8 total throws (can be done by one or both competitors)

9 objects and above:
Two count pattern: 5 throws per person (can be done by one or both competitors)
One count pattern: 10 total throws (can be done by one or both competitors)

Combination Patterns
(A combination pattern is achieved by combining two or more kinds of throws to create a sequence of moves that can be continuous. For example, two count passing with the right hand throwing a tomahawk, followed by a shoulder throw, followed by a body throw)
Combination patterns must be done for a certain amount of repetitions, based upon how many objects are being used.

6 and 7 clubs:
Two count pattern: 6 passes per person (can be done by one or both competitors)
One count pattern: 12 total throws (can be done by one or both competitors)

8 clubs:
Two count pattern: 4 throws per person (can be done by one or both competitors)
One count pattern: 8 total throws (can be done by one or both competitors)

9 objects and above:
Two count pattern: 5 throws per person (can be done by one or both competitors)
One count pattern: 10 total throws (can be done by one or both competitors)
(All combinations must re-enter the basic pattern or connect to another pattern for a qualifying run)

Connections
Connections are defined as one move being executed immediately following another move with no throws of a basic pattern in between. After the final move of a connection is executed, a qualifying run of the pattern is required for the last move to receive credit. Connection bonus points are awarded based upon the difficulty of the moves that are connected.

Originality
If a move is considered by the judges to be original, it may receive additional points if it is also difficult and in keeping with the aesthetics of sport juggling. It has to be original, difficult, and look good too. These are the parameters that the judges will be scoring by and it will be up to them to determine what is original, difficult and aesthetically pleasing.

Repetition
Each move can be done once by itself, and then once in connection with another move. Moves repeated more than 2 times will receive no points.

Other Competitions

360s Competitions
3 clubs, 5 clubs, 5 rings and 5 balls

Competitors will have one (1) minute to execute as many 360s as they can with all objects in the air. A 3-club 360 is considered successful when the competitor makes an additional three (3) throws following the 360 as either a basic pattern, or as the start of the next 360. If less than 3 throws are made as a result of a drop or collecting, the previous 360 will not be added to the score. With five objects, five throws must be made following the 360 for the 360 to be accepted. 360s must start from a juggling pattern and each object must be thrown one at a time. Time will start once the first 360 is attempted. At fifty-five seconds, a five second call may be announced at the competitor request. Once the final time is announced, no further 360s will count. If time is called after a 360 has been started, the competitor will get credit for that 360 if they complete the required amount of throws following the 360.
(Competitors may attempt 720s or 1080s if they choose, and they will get credit for each turn if done with all objects in the air)

720s Competition
(3 clubs only)

Competitors will have one (1) minute to execute as many 720s as they can with all objects in the air. A 3-club 720 is considered successful when the competitor makes an additional three (3) throws following the 720 as either a basic pattern, or as the start of the next 720. If less than 3 throws are made as a result of a drop or collecting, the previous 720 will not be added to the score. Time will start once the first 720 is attempted. At fifty-five seconds, a five second call may be announced at the competitor request. Once the final time is announced, no further 720s will count. If time is called after a 720 has been started, the competitor will get credit for that 720 if they complete the required amount of throws following the 720.

5 Club, 7 Ball, and 7 Ring Move Competitions
Competitors will have ninety seconds per competition to attempt their most difficult moves. Points will be awarded for moves that the competitors execute. Only moves that the judges determine to be extremely difficult and rarely if not ever performed will count. No points will be deducted for drops or any other errors.

Endurance Competition
Solo categories include: balls, rings, clubs and ball bouncing
Teams (consisting of two people) categories include: balls, rings, and clubs

Definition of Endurance Juggling:
A qualifying run consists of twice the number of catches as there are objects being juggled. For example, a qualifying run of 8 balls is 16 catches.
Anything less than a qualifying run does not qualify and the competitor does not advance to the next level. For example, a competitor who gets 15 catches of 8 balls as their best attempt does not qualify at 8, nor do they advance to the 9 ball level.

Preliminaries will determine the highest level all competitors qualify at, and that will be the starting number for the finals.

Once a competitor starts an attempt at any given number of objects, their two minute time begins. Once the competitor qualifies by making twice the number of catches as there are objects being juggled, they then are qualified to advance to the next level. The competitor that makes the most catches with the highest number of objects will be awarded 1st place.

Team passing consists of 2 jugglers passing objects between the two of them. Only catches made from passes originating from the other team member count towards qualifying. In two count passing, each persons passes to the other person counts towards their score. Twice the number of passes as there are objects being juggled is a qualifying run. If an ultimate passing pattern is used, all throws that are caught by the other team member count toward the overall score as all hands are passing to the other team member.

Once a team has qualified by making twice the number of catches as there are objects being juggled, they then are qualified to advance to the next level. The team that makes the most catches with the highest number of objects will be awarded 1st place.

The 3 ball, diabolo and Box Manipulation Competition rules will be posted shortly.